High Life
by Kaila.Nicole
Summary: Bruce and Diana are dating, but as their aliases. Joker is scheming up something with Luthor & strange objects start showing up at Diana's door. What happens when it all comes crashing down on Bruce? What if he was given another chance?
1. Pointing Fingers

Yes! I'm unbelievably excited to start on this. I hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I've enjoyed planning it out.

**:)**

**High Life.**

"Welcome, Wonder Woman," the automated voice droned as she removed her hand from the scanner. No matter how many times she heard it, shivers would coil up her spine. Once the door shut behind her, fingers automatically reached up and removed her uniform, her breastplate clanging to the metal floor. Leaving the uniform on the ground, she lazily made her way into the connected bathroom and ran warm water into the bathtub. Grateful and exhausted from beating more of Luthor's robots to pieces, she sank into the heat and rolled her shoulders, working out all the kinks.

_Maybe I should have put on a little music. Something like Stevie Winwoo_-

"Batman to Wonder Woman," Her com-link broke the silence. All this time, she'd been wearing it and forgotten about it. Damn all these technologies.

"Yes?"

"I need you down here to look over some footage of Luthor's last meeting." She huffed, her head falling back to slam against the tub's rim, hard.

"All right. I'll be there in a minute. Wonder Woman out."

"As you can see, Luthor has contributed a large donation to a group called Itex. It funds hybrid experiments and other scientific research," Bruce explained, pointing to one of the camera screens.

"Hybrid experiments?" Diana questioned, glancing over at her comrade with a raised eyebrow.

"They're trying to graft animal DNA with human genes. A recent expansion was avian-lupine hybrids." She winced, looking at the gruesome creatures that filled the screen, overlapping the video files. As Batman explained more, something- _someone_- caught her eye on the edge of the video.

"Wait. Rewind video three." Bruce was puzzled but obeyed. "There," She pointed, to the corner of the screen where a man stood in a bright purple suit, "Him. His outfit looks familiar. Where have I seen him before?"

Her question would remain unanswered, though. Bruce rose to his feet and stalked out of the room, leaving Diana to examine the back of the purple-suited man chatting with Luthor.

"What are you discussing with Joker?" Batman snarled, his fist tightening around Luthor's collar. The mastermind chuckled, prying the Kevlar fingers off his Versace suit.

"Might I ask how you know all this?" Batman narrowed his eyes.

"That isn't important. All I want to know is why you're talking to him. He's a psychotic criminal, on occasions more dangerous than you, and he definitely can't be trusted. Why are you even speaking to him?"

"I could say the same for a lot of people," Luthor smirked, "But just to tickle your fancy, I'll give you a hint. He and I have been tracking down a certain someone of our own."

"Who?"

"Now, now, Batman. We all know that you're not called the Great Detective for nothing. I intend to let you… figure this one out on your own." Bruce glared at him for another moment, but eventually dropped Lex, stalking off into the night.

"Find out anything?" Flash questioned as Bruce appeared in the transporter.

"Only that Lex is still being a narcissistic asshole." Flash smirked, "Sounds like somebody else I know."

He wondered if Batman had an unlimited supply of those glares and wanted to know where he could purchase some, if possible. "Wondy's waiting for you in her room. Said something about a surprise," He wiggled his eyebrows juvenilely and earned a whack on the head. Bruce left him rubbing his skull and hurried nimbly to Diana's quarters. For one of the first times in his life, the Batman actually knocked. While he considered if he should erase that from the security camera's memory, Diana flashed before him as the door slid back.

"Did I hear knocking? What have you done with Batman?" She playfully teased.

"Flash said you wanted to see me."

_Ahhh_, she thought, _always cutting to the chase_.

"Yes. I do," She motioned him into her room and sat herself upon the bed. Batman stayed where he was, just near the corner of the doorway. "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For these," She delicately pulled out a black velvet box from underneath her pillow. Inside was a beautiful set of Akoya pearls, shining brightly underneath the fluorescent lights. Bruce swallowed hard, watching as Diana slid the necklace out of its hold and held it up. "They're gorgeous, Bruce. I know that I told you once we started… seeing each other that I didn't need any of man's world's luxuries but… these are perfect," Her ocean eyes flickered up to him again, "So thank you."

He nodded once, stiffly, and then exited the room. Diana bit back her sigh, knowing even if he were a hundred feet away, he would still hear it. She placed the pearls back into the box and closed it shut.

The loud snap resonated around the lonely metallic room.

"And what about you, Arrow?" Batman's eyes narrowed even farther as he eyed the blonde playboy. Green Arrow gaped, his own eyes darting over to Dinah quickly, before glancing back to the Dark Knight.

"What?! I would never do that! I mean, Diana is a beautiful woman and all-" Batman cleared his throat threateningly, "But I wouldn't give her a set of pearls, dude."

Batman shifted his position to look out at the rest of the male members of the Justice League. It had been rumored that Wonder Woman and Batman had been going out for some time, and now it was rather obvious.  
"All right. You are dismissed," Batman announced and with a whoosh of his cape, was out of the door and out of sight. He stalked down the main corridor, finally reaching his destination.

"Hey, Batman," Clark greeted- as he always did in his Boy Scout way- as he leaned back in the computer chair.

"You'll break that thing if you don't stop," Batman warned and Superman quickly sat up straight, eyeing his friend strangely.

"You're extra menacing today. Had a filling breakfast, I presume?" Clark smirked at his own joke and as usual, Batman practiced the art of becoming a statue.

"Did you give Diana the pearls?"

"What pearls?"

"Just answer the question."

"I'd like to know what we're talking about first, before I answer any questions."

"Diana found some pearls. She thinks they're from me." Superman's eyes grew wide as he turned in his chair, humor leaking out of his words.

"And they're not? Oh, that's rich. Wow," He wiped the tears of laughter away, "Anyway, I'm not sure how you've pointed your finger at me."

"The rest of the men in the Watchtower said they hadn't."

"And you believe every single one of them?"

Batman paused, "Why not? Besides, I doubt many of them would have the balls to do it."

"And you suddenly think I would give Diana a set of pearls with no card attached and-"

"I never said there wasn't a card," Batman pointed out and Superman stood to meet him face-to-face.

"Batman, look, I'm just pointing out faults- if there were any. If I had given Diana a set of pearls, which I haven't, I would have at least put a card with it, that way she knew it was from me. And the only reason I would give her a set of pearls would be… her birthday? I don't know," Clark finished and took a deep breath, "Honestly, I expected better from you, though. I'm her best friend, not her lover. I'm not you, Bruce."

Batman watched as his friend moved past the chair and headed out of the room.

"You're on monitor duty."

**Well, first chapter is done. I'm going to get started on the second one after I throw some clothes in the washer.**

**Also, I'm not quite sure if Superman cries- he **_**can**_** right? Oh, well. Now he does. **

**There was a bit of an allusion to a book that I'm deeply in love with in this story. It's a bit obvious to me, but maybe not to you guys. **

**:)**

**You know the drill. **


	2. Masquerade Massacre

By six o'clock the next evening, Diana could practically hear the bathtub calling her name. Her uniform was off even before the door had closed. Grabbing the little music player Flash had given her over a year ago, she slipped the buds into her ears, choosing a relaxing song, and sank into her warm lagoon. After her fingers had turned to prunes, she erupted out of the water like a mermaid, flinging her hair into a towel and wrapping one around her body. As soon as she stepped foot into her room, her eyes caught the tiny white envelope on the comforter.

Timidly- and, although she would never admit it, giggly- she cracked open the seal and slid the letter out of its hold.

"_Diana, _

_Join me for dinner at Regas in Gotham at 8 p.m._

_-Bruce_"

She smiled, sliding the letter back into its case and rushed to her closet for something to wear.

"Madam? Your name?" The hostess caught Diana's attention as she glanced around the establishment for her boyfriend.

"Diana Prince," She smiled, noticing her brown wig and hazel-colored contacts in the mirrors that surrounded the lobby.

"Oh, yes. Mr. Wayne's table is this way," The hostess lead the way to a secluded table out on the veranda, the candlelight flickering as the two women passed each empty table. Diana ordered a glass of water for the time being, knowing that Bruce could always run late due to his work- Wayne Enterprises _and_ Gotham.

She studied the flowers on the ivy crawling over the railing, a beautiful lilac color, as she patiently waited on Bruce. After some time, another waiter appeared at the table, his purple tie a blazing juxtaposition to his white ensemble.

"Mr. Wayne sends his regards, he is running terribly late due to traffic, but said to send out the best wine for you, my dear," The waiter pulled two glasses from behind him, almost like magic, and began pouring. Diana thanked the waiter, twirling the wine in her glass before taking a sip.

"Batman to Wonder Woman," The stoic voice seemed so out of place on this tranquil night.

"Yes, I'm here. What's keeping you so long?" She pressed a hand to her ear, playing it off as a wireless Bluetooth like she usually did when she played Diana Prince.

"What are you talking about, Diana?" The seriousness in his tone alarmed her, eyes flickering to the glass of wine, and to the face of the waiter. His smile reminded her of the Cheshire cat, from some old cartoon Flash had forced her to watch when she had first come to Man's World.

"The note, on my bed. You told me to meet you here for dinner at eight."

"Diana, I haven't got the slightest clue what on earth you're talking about. I'm guessing that Flash must have done it as a joke, just like he ruined the topographical map by spilling an iced mocha on-" Diana could hear Flash's apology cries in the background.

"They said you called in earlier. You sent some wine out because you were running late-"

"Get out of there!" Bruce shouted, even the Joker could hear him through Diana's thick, chocolate colored wig, "Diana, you can't stay there. Somebody's-"

Bruce could hear a slight breath of air over the com-link, before the sound of glass shattering overtook his senses. Then there was movement and a cackling laugh,

"Batman! What a coincidence. I just talked to Mr. Wayne on the phone. I'm sure he wouldn't like you toying with his princess, now would he?"

"Joker!" Batman snarled, catching the attention of every single person in the monitor room as he raced to the computer, knocking Flash out of the way, "How did you-"

"No time for questions, Batman. You should hurry on down here. We can't start the fun without you!" The laughter was cut off abruptly and only a dead buzzing noise filled Bruce's ears.

"What's going on?" Clark questioned, his eyes wide with dread. Batman remained silent, the heroes surrounding him waiting for the pin to drop.

"The Joker has Diana." A moment of calm lay upon the Justice League before the storm began.

"What?! What's he doing with her?

Is she okay? She can get away can't she?

Why does he have her?"

"_Shut up_!" Superman bellowed, his voice echoing out into the hallway. Even Batman raised an eyebrow, surprised at his usually serene teammate's sudden outburst.

"The only way we're going to find Diana is if we refrain from throwing out useless questions," He turned to Batman, "Is her communicator still on?"

The heroes fled to other parts of the Watchtower, ready to notify other leaguers what was going on. The rest- the original seven minus one- sat in front of the computer, as Flash's fingers sped across the keyboard. At any other time, Bruce would have thrown Flash away from any electronic device, because of the recent spill, but there was no time for that. Diana's well being- even life- was on the line now.

"No, Joker turned it off right after he finished talking."

"What did he say?" J'onn's voice kept Batman's nerves together instead of scattering- which is what they desperately wished to do.

"That he just finished talking to Mr. Wayne on the phone and sometime about how Wayne wouldn't like it if I was toying around with his princess."

The weight of an anchor settled on Bruce's heart and it plummeted to his stomach. "Oh, God. He knows. The Joker knows who Diana and I are!"

"Well, obviously. I mean, otherwise this whole thing would be pointless and-" Flash was cut off by another one of Batman's glares.

"No, you idiot! He knows I'm Bruce Wayne. And he knows Diana is really Wonder Woman!"

"Then how would he capture her? Is he some type of masochist?" John questioned to no one in particular.

"If he's figured out she's Wonder Woman, then he'd pull it off somehow. That just makes it worse," Bruce answered, pacing back and forth through the monitor room.

"Have you tried reaching her at all?"

Bruce nodded his head quickly, "I tried a second ago. Nothing. What about the tracking device installed in it?"

"It can only be located by radio towers. Tracking the communicators through satellites cost too much, and the money we used for the new west wing of the Tower," J'onn explained and moved Flash out of the chair so he could handle the controls.

"Well, if I know the Joker- which isn't a lot- he would have her somewhere in Gotham, right?" Superman glanced over at his teammate.

"Negative," Batman countered, "He knows not to have her somewhere completely obvious. Besides, going down there and finding every single one of his hiding places would be useless and wasting precious time."

"I've got it," J'onn announced and the heroes fled to the computer screen, watching as three red dots blinked across the map, "But this doesn't make sense. There's no way it could be in three places at once."

"What are the locations?"

"Cheranevskaya, Russia, Cape Verde, Africa, and… Bremerton, Washington."

"Great. Now he's just fucking with us," Batman sighed bitterly and leaned his head against the side of the monitor.

_Diana, wherever you are, I'm sorry. _

The first thing she was aware of was the smell of… hot chocolate. Warm cocoa and the bittersweet smell of marshmallows filled her nostrils as she took another deep breath.

"Oh, goody! You're up. It's been terribly boring here, talking to myself all night long," Joker grinned at her again, the same one from earlier. Even though his appearance was gruesome, his teeth remained a perfect shade of ivory. Oddly, this was even more unsettling than if they had been colored purple, like the rest of his attire. The white was just plain unnatural and gave him more of a crazed look, if that was possible.

"Shouldn't you be used to that?" She inquired sharply, struggling against the chains that bound her to whatever she was seated on. After trying to move her head failed, she collapsed against the slab of metal- perhaps? - and gave into defeat. Knowing that he had no reason to kill her now meant there was no reason to put up a useless fight. After all, she wanted to catch this wicked, little man by surprise.

"Why, yes, of course," Joker turned back around from his computer screen. Apparently, the Joker and the Batman _did_ have something in common. They were _both_ wasting away their vision by staring at pixels every night. Although, she couldn't say she cared one bit about the Joker's future seeing capabilities. "But, still. It _is_ nice to have a fresh face occasionally, right? And I can't say I've ever seen one more beautiful than yours, my Highness." He scraped one long, yellow fingernail underneath her chin. She promptly spat onto his face, yanking her throat away from the criminal.

"One with a little spunk too, doesn't hurt, either," Joker beamed, before making his way back to his monitor, "Don't grow angry too quickly, though. I wouldn't want the camera to bring out the fire in your eyes, little one."

_Little one? Little one?! How dare that… that impious fiend! I'm certainly older- and much taller than he_.

"Camera?"

"Don't worry. I've almost gotten it all set up. All you've got to do is what for my cue and then _presto_! You'll be movie magic in no time," Joker explained as she narrowed her eyes at him. "In five, four, three, two...!"

"One! Why, hello there, Bats- or should I say Bruce Wayne. Which one do you prefer? Oh, well," The Joker's face appeared on the monitor in a flash, looming over the Justice League, "I just wanted to check in with you, see how everything's going… oh, wait, I already know! It's going terrible, because obviously you haven't _found_ me yet! What a tragedy," He wiped the fake tears off of his face.

"Where is she, Joker!?" Batman roared, shoving himself to the front of the heroes.

"Now, now, Batty. Don't ruin all of my fun. That's for you to find out, silly willy."

"I won't put up with this bullshit, Joker. You better tell me now or I'll-"

"What?" His enemy cackled, "Hunt me down and torture me? There's just one little problem with that. You still have no idea where I'm at."

"We're tracking your video as I speak. Save yourself the trouble and _maybe_ I won't crush your skull."

The Joker placed a finger under his chin, tapping it and then peered farther into his screen, "Hey, Martian, I don't see your fingers moving. You might want to work faster than that. I'm not sure how long those tigers' appetites last. Maybe… another ten minutes, possibly?"

J'onn glared at the man on the screen. He didn't understand how Batman could put up with this strange being for so long.

"Tell ya what, Bats. I'll give you a hint. You come where the fun is, dressed as Bruce Wayne. I promise that you'll have your princess before the night is over. How's that sound?"

"Where?"

"I told you, silly! Come where the fun is. I promise that you'll have a good ol' time," Joker winked and the video flashed to black. Silence crammed the room before Batman turned on his heel and strode over to the transporter. With a hiss of steam, he was gone, leaving the heroes to twiddle their thumbs and worry holes into their stomachs.

**AN: Yes, I'm aware the Joker's teeth were a disgusting shade of yellow in the JLU cartoon, but I thought that white would just be more… peculiar. **

**I don't own the mention of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland, although I wish I did. I think a vanishing cat would be sweet ass. **

**Next chapter should be up late evening tomorrow or early Thursday. **

**You'll learn how the Joker figured out how Bruce is Batman. **

**You know the drill. **


	3. Shards

**I'm watching Ghost Hunters to give me a spooky vibe for this chapter (and I love Jason and Grant!).**

**:)**

**I hope you enjoy it! **

Bruce made his way through the carnival, passing groups of small children gripping cotton candy as if their lives depended on it. As if he was invisible, parents and teenage couples walked on by, not even glancing back to catch a glimpse of the famous billionaire. Passing the carousel, he watched as the toddlers giggled and cried, the painted horses glancing hurriedly at him before disappearing around the circle.

The sun was setting to the right, casting hazy shadows across the pathway. A murky shade of yellow filled the sky, reminding Bruce of thunderstorms approaching. Whimsical melodies filled his ears as he tracked dust onto his black leather shoes. He came to a stop in front of the Masquerade Massacre Fun Palace.

_Where the fun's at_, Bruce chortled dryly, noticing the particular section of the park he was in sounded dead quiet. All of the twinkling lights and tunes were a faint whisper, brushing across the ears and through the bones. The handle to the entrance was icy underneath his palm and fingers. He pulled the door open slowly, a slight creaking noise erupting, before Bruce Wayne slipped away into the dark.

"Joker!" Bruce shouted as he made his way through the lifeless funhouse. He shoved away plastic ghouls on strings in his way, the sun's rays barely lighting up the interior through the windows near the top of the building. Abruptly, the machines began clanking; the wooden planks Bruce's feet were upon started sliding back and forth.

"Oh, yay! Batman has come to play!" Joker's cackle rang out through the rafters.

"I'm just here to get some answers. And Diana."

"Aww. That's no fun! How about we just… wing it?" An eruption of bats shot past Bruce as he entered the mirror maze. Fingerprint smears grazed most of the mirrors, allowing him to maneuver his way through. Unfortunately, with the lessening sunlight, his mind began to play tricks on him- and without his night vision lenses- and he found himself squinting and feeling along the glass.

"Well, this _is_ quite the sight to see!" The Joker giggled as he dropped down from the ceiling on a wire, "The Batman fumbling? Oh, America's Funniest Home Video's would simply adore this."

"Answers, Joker, before I rip out your throat."

"By all means, go ahead, but I'm not sure if you'd get many answers that way." Bruce glared, grabbing the clown by the collar and slamming him against the glass.

"How did you find out?" Joker licked his lips, a pondering look placed upon his face.

"Hmm… would you please be a bit more descrip-"

"How did you find out that I'm Batman?!" Bruce understood the chances of admitting this to his crazed enemy, but there was nothing he could do about it if the clown had actual proof. If the Joker had figured it out, he wouldn't have gone this _bold_ with his actions- luring Diana away from the League, capturing her and weaseling his way into the Watchtower's security- if he hadn't been a hundred percent sure.

"Let's start with Family Matters."

"The television show?" Bruce deadpanned, raising an eyebrow in alarm.

"No, no! Your family silly," Joker coughed as the grip around his neck tightened, "You see, poor old Joker was sitting around here one day, bored out of his mind, and decided to Google his arch nemesis," He lifted up one finger to point it directly at Bruce's face and winked.

"It's funny, what you can learn online. So, my brain gets to thinking- thinkin' that some things are starting to match up. The Batman has to have some type of income for all of his toys, and since he doesn't rob banks, he's got to have some money coming in from somewhere, right?

"I was also wondering why Batman only hangs around Gotham. I mean, sure, he saves other parts of the world, but Gotham city seems to be his hangout. And, after some consideration, I realized that Bruce Wayne has to be Batman. _You_ have to be Batman, because no one else would protect this god damn city, unless there was a reason." Bruce remained silent, his mind sinking farther into the lava pit that had become his anger. He could do nothing; the Joker had finally figured everything out.

"So, do you think you could let me down and-"

"Why did you bring Diana into this? How did you find out she is Wonder Woman? How did you send those notes to her?" The Joker stared at him for a moment.

"Do you realize how many questions you want me to answer?"

"Just answer them. _Now_," Bruce ground out, his teeth clenched.

"All right, all right. Always the pushy ones, you superheroes are. How should I begin? Once I figured out you were Batman, I started looking into your precious girlfriend, Diana. First off, the facial similarities between Wonder Woman and herself were uncanny. Also, Diana 'Prince' and Wonder Woman is a princess?" He shook his head, lifting up a hand to place it on his face, "I simply can't believe she thought someone would fall for that."

"And the letter? The pearls?"

"The letter was slipped in by one of your technicians. You realize people will do anything for money, right?" Joker raised an eyebrow at the hero, "And the pearls were… well, I placed them into the scheme just to piss you off, really," He waved his hand around nonchalantly, "I had planned on dripping blood onto them, just for old times sake, but decided against it."

"Blood? Why?"

"From what the death certificate said, your mother was found with bloody pearls around her-" He never finished his sentence, with Bruce hurling him through the glass. Joker landed a couple of feet away, chuckling as he stood to brush himself off. "You always were the over reactive type, Bat. Although this time I would watch yourself, it may get you into some trouble."

"The only trouble I'll be having is shoving your fat mouth in a body bag!" Bruce roared, his fist colliding with Joker's face. He heard the sickening crunch of the clown's jaw and felt a stream of pleasure run up his spine.

"Now, now," Joker spat blood onto Bruce's black suit and picked out one of his front molars with a scraggly fingernail, "I warned you. One more threat and I'll-" His feet disappeared from underneath him as his body was crushed into the computer screen, thick glass plunging into his arms and shredding his purple jacket. Fist raised, Bruce was about to collide it with Joker's face again before he heard a cry behind him. He spun on his heel, racing over to where Diana was strapped to a metal slate, chains wrapped around her around her neck, chest and calves. Her mouth had been roped shut and gagged with some article of clothing.

"Diana!" Bruce shouted, slipping a knife out to cut the rope apart and alleviate her of the gag.

"Bruce," She wheezed, taking in a deep breath, "You've got to-"

"I know, I know. Let me grab the key to the locks and you'll be-"

A loud thud awoke Bruce from his relief and ecstasy, watching as the Joker fumbled out from the broken computer parts. He flipped open a box to reveal a button within and gave Bruce a leery grin.

"Lights," The clown stepped back, enjoying the flash of surprise spreading across his enemy's face, "Camera," Bruce shouted something and ran headlong towards the Joker, who slipped away at the last second and slammed his thumb onto the red button, "_Action_!"

The explosion tore the roof off of the funhouse, blasting the mirrored glass every direction and tossing Bruce and Joker back thirty feet or so. Dust hung in the air like the white-sheeted ghouls had, though now they rested, scattered on the floor, faces up and grinning at Death. Bruce choked as he drew in a breath, moving along the floor, his palms crushing the glass. His eyes moved from his hands, scanning the area in front of him. Bits of glass lay sparkling on the metal ground, casting tiny beacons of light.

"Diana…" Bruce called out, his hands finally reaching her high-heeled foot, fingers gripping her side as he steadied himself and stood, "Diana?" He waved the dust away from her, squinting at her face. She gave him no response as he placed his hand on to her shoulder. Giving his princess a shake, he heard more glass fall to the floor and shatter.

"Bruce," Her voice croaked, suffocating with the filthy dirt that floated up her nostrils.

"Yeah, I'm here," He whispered, feeling around the back of the chains trapping her, hoping for an area loose enough to crack the links. She winced, glanced down and gave out a little yelp of shock.

"What? What is it?" He turned back to her as she let out a sob- of pain or fright, he didn't know.

"The glass," She panted and gulped in another breath, "The glass, Bruce."

He followed her eyes to her torso, the rips in her dress and bits of sparkles trailing down to the glass shards that seemed to erupt from her stomach.

"Oh, God," He murmured and fell down onto his knees, checking the wounds. The glass from the mirror had embedded itself into Diana's abdomen, small streams of blood pooling down to her feet.

"Bruce, get these damn chains off of me, now. I won't die strapped to a table," She moaned and tried to stay still. Maybe, maybe Bruce could save her. Maybe they could travel to the… maybe…. Her eyes blinked hard, waking her mind from the fog it was trapped in. The chains gave way, after Bruce had simply broken them with his hands, his adrenaline and heart pumping as he raced around to catch Diana.

"Contact the Watchtower. J'onn should be," She swallowed a thick amount of oxygen, "He should be there." As Bruce made the connection and told J'onn of the accident, Diana shifted in his arms and collapsed to the floor.

"Diana!" Bruce let out a panicked shout as he fell to the ground beside her, placing her head in his lap. She reached up, tugging off the wig and practically yanking out the contacts, wincing as every movement wedged the glass in deeper.

"It's all right, Bruce," She smiled hazily up at him, running a hand down his arm, "It's all right." Diana watched Bruce continue with J'onn.

"No, I have no idea. He slipped my mind once I saw Diana's injuries. _How_ long? A couple of minutes won't cut it, J'onn," He growled, one arm tightening around his lover's side, "Well, then hurry up. Make sure to have the medic bay ready and waiting. Batman out."

He dropped his arm and gathered Diana next to his chest, kissing her forehead as her heartbeat quickened.

"Hey, don't think just because you saved me, you get off scot-free," She grinned, blinking heavily as tiny spots danced across her vision.

"From what?" He raised an eyebrow mischievously.

"We never did get to finish our dance," She whispered. He chuckled in response, kissing her lips lightly.

"That's right. Well, Princess, I can't say that we'll finish it anytime soon, but once you're all bandaged up and-" She gasped, fingers gripping his like vices, and her head crumpled to the side, eyelids fluttering, "-Diana!?" Bruce exclaimed, shaking her feverently. She made no sound, no movement, her lips not replying to his demands. Something shattered inside of him- his heart, suddenly made of glass- and trickled down to settle at the bottom of his stomach. He noticed the shiny pearls around her neck then, so bright and cheerful against the stark complex of her skin. One quick tug and the ocean beauties tumbled onto the remains of the mirrors, rolling in odd circles before settling, glowing among the blood and debris.

With a burst of light, he found himself in the Watchtower, all eyes on him, as he cradled his love. J'onn, Clark, John, and Flash gasped in unison, watching as Bruce lifted her into his arms and stumbled to the infirmary, leaving the body on the gurney- after all, it truly wasn't his Diana anymore. He had killed Wonder Woman and Diana Prince. He had killed everything he held dear in this world- _everything_. Silently, Bruce made his way to the room in the Watchtower he hardly ever used, collapsing onto the hard mattress and hearing the tidbits of his heart rattle. There was no use going back to Gotham, not right now. He quickly contacted Nightwing and ordered him to take over his watch and no, he couldn't talk right now. His eyes fell shut, even though he would gain no sleep. He couldn't do anything right now. Nothing, _nothing_. Nothing.

And they had never gotten to finish their dance.

_I've got the feeling that this will never cease _

_Living in these pictures _

_It never comes with ease _

_I swear that if I could make this right _

_You'd be back by now__…_

_I wish I could hear your voice_

_Don't leave me alone in this bed_

_I wish I could touch you once more_

_Don't leave me alone in this bed_

**AN: This is NOT the end. I repeat: This is not the end! I must say, I had a fun time writing the descriptive parts of this chapter. **

**The song lyrics where from one of my favorite songs, "Alone In This Bed (Capeside)" by Framing Hanley. **

**You know the drill.**


	4. Repeat

**Since I have major sunburn, I figured this would be a great time to not workout and type this chapter up with a cold compress on my lower back. Ouch. **

**Enjoy!**

Last night I had a crazy dream  
A wish was granted just for me  
It could be for anything  
I didn't ask for money  
Or a mansion in Malibu  
I simply wished, for one more day with you  
One more day  
One more time  
One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied

A hard knock on his door awoke Bruce Wayne, blinking his eyes twice to clear away the sleep. Wait- why was he in his house? Unless J'onn or Clark had sent him down here, without him knowing it. Knowing Clark's big, fat boy scout heart, it was possible. He made no point to rise, instead rolling over and stuffing his head deeper into Diana's pillow. It no longer smelt of her, but he could still imagine. He could dream, he could believe it was all a stupid, heinous joke. Right? Another knock came.

"Go away," Bruce grumbled. A soft laugh came from behind the closed double doors and his ears picked up on the brass handle turning. He sat up, angrily throwing the pillow down onto his mattress, as the door opened.

"Do you not understand what 'go away' means?" He hissed, venom practically leaping out from his mouth.

"Now, is that any way to talk to a princess?" Diana slid through the doors and gently closed them behind her. Bruce swallowed his next insult down his throat, watching as she crossed the room to sit on the bed. "Are you okay?" She questioned, moving forward to lay a hand on his leg, which shot up and out of her reach.

"You- you're here," He wheezed, running a clammy hand across his face.

"Yes. That would… be apparent," She pushed back a string of hair and leaned forward, "Is everything all right?"

_It's all right, Bruce, it's all right_, her voice rang inside his head from last night. But if last night she… died then why- why was she…?

"No, no I'm not," He flung the covers off and rushed out into the hallway, flinging himself down the stairs and into the kitchen. Alfred glanced up, an eyebrow raised at Bruce's sudden appearance.

"Master Wayne, your meeting isn't for another two ho-"

"I know, Alfred. I was just wondering if you would like to tell me what the hell is going on?" Bruce slammed his fist down onto the counter as Diana pushed open the swinging door, "And what the hell is this?!"

"Well, Master Wayne, I believe that is Miss Diana," Alfred explained, watching with curiosity as Bruce took a seat at the kitchen table.

"No, no, no. You're not comprehending what I'm asking. I want to know what's going on."

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Sir," Alfred placed his spatula down and picked up a cup of coffee, setting it down in front of Bruce, "Here. Drink this." Bruce did not object, merely guzzling down the beverage and watching Diana's figure as she took the seat across from him. He debated on whether or not describing it all as she stared at him. This was a joke. There was no possible way it had been a dream- or a nightmare. This person sitting in front of him wasn't his Diana.

"What's today's date?" He questioned suddenly and rose to look switch on the kitchen's mini-television. Matt Lauer's face sprang into the screen and Bruce quickly scanned the tiny box in the left corner. It was yesterday's date- which meant yesterday was today? Surely, if this had been some giant cover-up, a gag, the person pulling the strings wouldn't have enough power to change the date on NBC's Today Show. "This isn't possible. None of this is possible," He quickly turned to Diana, "You shouldn't be, either."

"Bruce, what on earth are you saying?" She placed her hand on his shoulder, running it up and down his arm. The same way she had yesterday- or maybe in his nightmare. Yes, that was it. His nightmare. It made plenty of sense and at the same time, it didn't.

"I must have had a terrible dream last night. The Joker- well, never mind. There's nothing to do now but forget it, right?" The corner of his mouth quirked up and he kissed her hard on the lips, reveling in the fact she was alive. She gasped as he pushed her against the island, his fingers laced in her hair. Alfred left with a puzzled expression, hurrying to the laundry room to begin ironing.

"What was that for?" Diana asked, breathless after the kiss had ended.

"Do I always have to have a reason to kiss the most gorgeous woman on Earth?" He smirked and moved over to grab another cup of coffee, before making his way upstairs. Diana contemplated his actions from earlier, her fingers dancing across her lips, until she realized the time and hurried to the Watchtower.

Later…

"As you can see from our calculations, the stock we have in Exxon Mobil has fallen from the original two point five percent to a low one point seven percent. The only way to pull ourselves out with no charges would be to slip the money out and invest in-" Timothy Jones, Wayne Enterprises' financial assistant, looked up from the charts and cleared his throat as the ring of a cell phone erupted. Bruce glanced up from his folder- truly, he had been dozing- and flipped out his phone, excusing himself before taking the call in the hallway.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Bruce, calm down," Diana chuckled, "I know you're busy- as am I. Before I get stuck in this meeting, I just thought I would call you and thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Ha, ha. For the diamond earrings, of course."

"Wait, what are you-"

"Oh, sorry. I've gotta run. I'll call you later, okay? Bye," She snapped the phone shut and pressed the power button, slipping into the conference room just in time. Bruce cursed, his fingers punching in her number as fast as they could, only to meet her voicemail.

"Damn it," He cursed again, shoving his phone into his jacket, before rejoining the meeting.

"Miss Prince, I presume?" Fox grinned, Bruce sliding back into his seat and motioned Timothy to continue.

"Wanted to thank me for some new diamond earrings."

"Well, how thoughtful. I thought you said she wasn't a material girl?" Bruce met his gaze.

"She's not. They're not from me." Fox raised his eyebrows, his lips forming into a straight line.

"Who would give your girl diamonds? Is there anybody that crazy out there?" Bruce nodded, flipping through the papers just to keep from wringing his hands.

"Apparently, yes."

After the meeting, Bruce made his rounds around Gotham, tending to whatever business emergency arose within his company. He knew Diana's conferences could last quite long- once, a lady from Zimbabwe had chattered on for five hours. He didn't see how Diana had put up with it, but then again, he didn't own her patience. Or any, for that matter. As soon as he arrived back at the mansion, Alfred was at the door, announcing the latest crime.

"Miss Ivy has Mayor Lieberman in his office."

"Why do you always refer to the criminals with respect?" Bruce muttered before winding back the clock and stepping through. Alfred chose to ignore the partial insult and continued with what information he had.

"News station said that she's got some new poisonous plant. It sprays out some type of chemical, supposed to make you fall asleep." Bruce grunted, grabbing a gas mask before hopping into the Bat Mobile, speeding away as Alfred sipped on his cup of Earl Grey tea and ascended the stairs of the cave.

**I didn't read through this one, so if there's any mistakes, I apologize. **

**Like the last chapter, all questions will be explained in the next chapter. **

**And yes, if you've seen the movie "If Only", this story is based lightly on it. Truly, it gave me a bit of inspiration, but I have my own twist.**

**:)**

**Song: One More Day with You by Diamond Rio**

**You know the drill. **


	5. Pulse

**I had the pleasure of writing out this whole entire chapter while listening to old women gossip about their church's pastor. It was excruciating. **

**Listening to ninety's country always helps me write an outline, for some strange reason. **

**As always, enjoy!**

"Batman to Wonder Woman." The communicator made an odd noise- resembling a person strangling a scarecrow- and then disconnected. His pulse quickened, trying to reach Superman to figure out what was going on- more strangling. He told Alfred to skip on dinner.

On board the Watchtower, Shayera took the words right out of Batman's mouth, "What in Sam Hell is up, Kent?"

"Flash, being his nimble self, spilled ice cubes down Zatanna's shirt, which caused her own drink to crash. All over the communications grid of the computer," Clark sighed, "As a result, the transportation board was also zapped." Bruce collapsed into the nearest chair. Hadn't this happened already? Yes, in a different way, but with the same results. The earrings instead of the pearls, the transporter instead of the topographical map. In the end, something was ruined. "I called up some mechanics. They should be working on it by n-" Bruce fled the room, dashing down the corridors. As he suspected, a man in a dull gray outfit stood outside of Diana's room, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"I told ya, man, she ain't here," Bruce slowed and ducked into a doorway, "I dunno! Boss, what should I do?"

"Try not to scream," Batman muttered and wrapped his fingers around the young man's neck, feeling the tendons and muscles spasm. The boy was out in seconds, slumped on the floor.

"Might as well give up now, Joker. I know where you have Diana."

"You see, that's the beauty of the situation, Bats, cause you don't," The clown giggled, twirling the heavy metal object in his hands.

"The jokes on you, because in fact, I do. I'm heading down there right now, to rid you of all your fun. And I will enjoy it."

Joker clucked his tongue, "You know, Bats, I wish you would stop lying so much. It's not good for your health. Besides, all you're doing is standing in am empty hallway, holding a vase of roses and talking to yourself."

"How do you-" His gaze darted to the security camera at the tip of the ceiling, the red infrared light blinking convincingly.

"Besides, I don't have her where the fun is." The statement jogged Bruce's memory. Joker knew the day had started over, but how? Surely, Luthor wasn't his accomplice on this, not anymore, unless there was money involved.

"Oh, and whenever you do show up, make sure to come alone. I don't want to hear good ol' Supes lecturing me on my manners."

"And if I tell him?"

"Then I'm throwing this case out. And my bullet into a certain Amazon's head." Bruce contemplated the situation and Joker's small hints. Throwing this case out would mean he was in a courthouse. Of course, Lois was covering a court investigation on whether or not the judge was smuggling money over to the defendant to plead guilty. Diana was surely there to help her out and give her support. _Two beautiful heads are better than one_. He glanced down at the flowers.

"Why twenty-three roses?" There was a pause. Taking it as confusion, Bruce smirked a tad inside, knowing that he could still dumb-found the clown. The Joker shrugged, his tone casual, "It was the same number as the one's on your mother's grave."

Zatanna rounded the corner, trying to dry her top off with magic. The wand in her hand clattered to the floor in unison with the crystal vase. Batman stood motionless in front of Wonder Woman's door, a crushed cell phone in one fist. A mechanic lay sprawled out beneath Batman's cape, drool seeping out of his mouth. The glass from the vase glittered against the harsh fluorescent lights, sparkling and cracking when she reached him. Placing a soft hand on his curled fist, she could feel his eyes flicker over to her, to which she offered him an apologetic smile.

"Bad day?"

As if his already terrible day couldn't have gotten any worse, Bruce arrived at the hangar to find the Batwing gone. Along with _every other_ aircraft. Clark could hear the palpitations of his teammate's heart before he passed the med-lab.

"Where is my fucking jet?!" Batman slammed a fist into the metal wall. The dent that formed went unnoticed as Clark rolled his eyes.

"Bruce, calm down. I told Wally to take it because-"

"Flash? You let Flash take my jet out for a spin? Are you insane or have you sold your common sense for money?! Why did you let him steal the Batwing?"

"Shut up!" Clark shouted, practically ripping his chair out of the vase as he spun around and rushed at Bruce. "I've had enough of you screaming at me like I'm an eight year-old child. I know that the Batwing is yours- that's very apparent- but Flash needed it to assist in Jump City. With the transporters down, it was the only way for him to get down there. The other jets are either in the shop or taken by other Leaguers, so at least _try_ to act like you have one _freaking_ ounce of patience for once in your life, Bruce," Clark turned away, obviously satisfied with his rant.

"I just figured you would understand. That you, of all people, would realize how much it means to protect something you love, and how you would go to any lengths to help it, to _save_ it." Bruce knew that Clark had no idea, but he still cast the Man of Steel a wary gaze before heading to his quarters. Once inside, he pushed back his cowl and buried his face into his palms, and took several deep breaths.

"You have no idea."

**Insomnia is amazing. **

**And yes, I realize that Batman should give in and tell Supes what's happening, but Bruce Wayne is a stubborn man, so he's not going to. **

**It's always odd for me to write "Bruce Wayne", because that's my dad's name. Luckily, no one ever calls him Bruce and he goes by his nickname. Thank God for that. **

**You know the drill. **


	6. Bulletproof

AN: Ahh. I'm sorry I haven't updated sooner. I've been going to Dollywood, possibly attaining skin cancer from mild sunburn, and adoring my new kittens.

Enjoy!

Within three hours, Flash was pulling into the hangar of the Watchtower, feeling less of a man than he should have. He knew Bats was lurking somewhere in the dark shadows of the discarded engine parts and tools, _somewhere_, waiting for him to step out of the Batwing. Flash's premonition was correct. As soon as the door hissed open, Batman was facing him, arms stiff at his sides. Flash's hands, however, were up in an instant, held in the casual "I didn't do anything" pose.

"Listen, Bats, I know you're pissed but I needed-"

"I know," Batman nodded and pushed past Flash to slide into his seat, noticing that there wasn't an ounce of food or even a sign that Flash had been in there. _He must've been hovering above everything_, Batman mused before taking off into the Milky Way. Flash hesitated before making his way to the monitor womb.

"Did he hurt you?" Shayera inquired after a long silence hung over the two. Flash glanced at her, a questioning look on his mask. "You're not talking."

"No, that's the thing. He didn't even glare."

"Scary," Shayera smirked and turned her attention back to the mechanic who was showing her how to fix the main tower of the computer. Before Flash could question if it was really Batman, his stomach notified him that he hadn't been digesting anything in the last four hours, and he sped to the commissary. The tiny beep of his communicator surprised Bruce, who immediately pressed on the device.

"Batman to Wonder Woman." No response. "Batman to Wonder Woman." His heartbeat quickened. Damn it, he knew he shouldn't have waited so long to get to Earth. He had always been the pessimist, so why had he turned optimistic a few hours ago?

_You idiot, how could you believe that everything was okay_? The Bat growled.

"Diana said so," Bruce countered and he heard the Bat scowl.

_Pathetic, trusting a woman like her that easily_. _What has gotten in to you_? Bruce swallowed his answer, knowing it would only anger his Freud even more.

"Hold your horses, Bruce," Diana's voice rang out, filling the silence of the cabin.

"Where have you been? I've tried to reach you for-"

"I was using the bathroom, if you have to know so bad, Mr. Impatient."

"Diana, you've got to flee the area. _Now_."

"Why? What is up with you lately, Bruce? You're honestly starting to scare me." He could hear the sound of running water as she ridiculed his judgment. He hadn't wanted to tell her, but there was no way he could continue warning her if she couldn't understand.

"This is going to sound a little odd to you, but just listen," He told her a minuscule detail of what had happened yesterday. She was silent for a moment, choosing her response carefully.

"Bruce, how much sleep have you had in the last day?"

_None_, The Bat answered.

"That doesn't matter. Joker has somehow rewound yesterday and he's planning to kill you again today."

"Bruce, this doesn't make any sense. If what you're saying is true, then how come no one else knows about this?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. But are you saying this couldn't happen? After how much shit we've been through with the League?"

"No, I'm not saying it's not possible. That's not what I'm confused about," She sighed, drying off her hands and was tossing away the towel when someone entered the bathroom, "Bruce, I'll talk to you later. I've got to- sir, you can't be in here. This is-" Her voice was cut off by a small gasp.

_He hit her pressure point_, the Batman spoke in his stoic, monotone voice. Truth be told, the Bat had feelings for Diana as well. He was engrossed with her power, her agility and her audacity, while Bruce was attracted to her beauty, her knowledge and empathy. And the way she always knew he was looking at her even with the mask attached.

"-Bruce Wayne, right?" Joker giggled, slinging the ambassador of Themyscira over his shoulder. "Pleasure to… hear your acquaintance again." The link was cut off with a crackle of static. Bruce curled his fists around the controls and pressed on the accelerator. The Batwing could usually make it to Gotham during a crisis in thirty minutes from the Watchtower. Bruce arrived at Washington, D.C. in less than fifteen.

(Page Breaks on Fanfiction hate me)

Bruce Wayne slipped through the ductwork of the courthouse, his eyes down and scanning the rooms. Going against everything the Batman believed, he didn't drop right in on top of the enemy. Instead, he moved on down a bit and dropped in an empty courtroom two doors down. He could see the blue and red lights flashing through the window, casting his body and the wood paneling in a luminous bloody shade. The Joker signed dramatically, turning to the hostage that sat on the witness stand.

"He should be here by now, you know. My guess is that he got stuck in traffic," He reached down and patted her hand, "Don't be so impatient, my dear." The hostage made a sound from the back of her throat and slapped his hand away. Before Joker could notify the hostage of her rude manners, the doors were flying open, revealing Bruce in his business-suit regalia, stalking into the courtroom of clown faces. Joker's grin noticeably dropped. "Oh, phooey. I was looking forward to the Knight of Gotham, not the Playboy," He murmured to the hostage beside him. Clearing his throat, he rose before the courtroom. "Friends, lovers, and countrymen, the real judge has arrived. Bruce Wayne will be the one to choose who lives…" His eyes darted around the room pointedly for emphasis, holding back his laughter, "And who dies."

"I just came here to save Diana. I'm not here to play games."

"Oh, boo. Now how am I supposed to have my fun?" Joker tapped his chin and then suddenly brightened. "I know! We'll all play a game," He withdrew a gun from the purple robe he wore, "Russian Roulette. I'm not Russian, but I don't think that matters, right?"

"You don't want to do this," Bruce had to keep his tone paranoid, something he hadn't been used to in twenty-something years.

"No, I'm pretty sure I do," Joker stared incredulously at the playboy, "Now, who lives?" His hands swiftly cocked the pistol, leaning back in his black leather chair. Bruce pointed to the hostage on the witness stand. "Well, you are a lucky little girl, aren't you? Please remove your face, ma'am," Joker cackled at his humor of the situation. Lois appeared, sending Bruce a thankful, but apologetic, fleeting look. "Now who dies?"

"Me," Bruce answered, glancing around at the hostages. Even though they all had masks on, he could pick out four women that had the same physique and appearance as Diana. But putting all of these innocent lives in danger just to find his girlfriend?

_How unlike the Bruce Wayne everyone adores and loves_, the Batman growled from the depths of his mind.

_Oh, shut the fuck up_, Bruce answered back before directing his attention back to the lunatic running the show.

"All right," Joker pointed the gun at the Gotham prince, "Any last words?"

"Just a question."

"By all means then, ask away."

"How'd you do it?"

"If you could be a bit more specif-"

"How did you replay today?"

"Well, according to Lex, you already had a chat with him. Surely, a powerful man like yourself would have figured it out already."

"The only thing he told me was that you two had been tracking down someone."

"Indeed we had been for some time," The head clown bounced over the judge's podium and trailed his way around the courtroom, "I must say, after a while, it was growing terribly hard. But then… a tip fell through the _grapevine_ from a colleague of mine," His tone grew even more smug, "Truly, Luthor only helped me with the collar, to hold her captive."

"There was no collar around Diana's neck-"

"Mr. Wayne, did you honestly think I was tracking down you and your petty fling? Oh, no. Tracking you down would be as simple as opening People magazine," He sighed, snapping his fingers as four white walls appeared out of thin air around them. Bruce leaped forward to not be crushed by one of the cement walls. The sound of metal springs caught his attention and he leapt out of the way before a heavy iron door flew open.

"Acey, darling, so glad you could make the party!" Joker clapped his hands gaily, "Poor old Bruce has been waiting for your arrival, to finally meet the genius behind his last two horrific days."

The Joker hadn't been tracking down Diana? Then why on Earth had he tortured her last night and… _killed_ her? Why hadn't the clown just taken care of Bruce and left her alone, unless he had some underlying grudge against Wonder Woman? Joker shook his finger at Bruce, edging closer with the gun, "I can see the questions, Bat, just lurking behind those _heartwarming_ baby blue eyes," The mockery was creeping in now, behind the false playfulness that he usually associated with the Joker.

"You know, Bats, all I've ever wanted was to let loose. To… feel the wind through my hair, to see the view of the world from the top of the Eiffel Tower…" His dark eyes caught Bruce's, the corners of his ragged mouth twitching with humor, "You get my point. And then you come along and ruin every fantasy I've ever had. All of my plots, my schemes are wiped out because of a jumpy, amateur _robber_."

The Joker and his gun were sent sailing across the room, green hair mixing with red as he slid down the wall, leaving a trail of himself slipping along the ivory bricks. He giggled, pushing himself off of the ground and acknowledged Ace's presence.

"You see, the man is crazier than I am. He's the one that should be locked up in Arkham."

"You're trying to get rid of me now?" Joker gasped, placing a gloved hand up to his mouth, "Oh, no! Why would you ever think that? You're one of the reasons I _love_ Gotham. Sure, you make my job a bit harder, but I've always worked around that, right?" Bruce responded with a blank stare.

"But you know, it is hard to work with somebody like yourself. You are the _vengeance_, the protector of that damned city," He spoke while lifting his hands up to place quotes around random words, sighing as he finished, "And I just needed to take away _something_ from you."

Bruce's eyes widened and he snapped, "Obviously, you already know the story behind Batman. Why would you need to take anything else away?"

Joker simply shrugged, taking a seat in a dark purple chair that had appeared, again, with a snap of the fingers.

"Like I said, you're so… powerful and persistent," Ebony eyes flashed to a purple haze for a moment, as he stared down Bruce Wayne, "I needed something to _slow you down_."

"So murdering Diana would help _you_ out?" Bruce's fists met Joker's velvet robe, "You think I wouldn't come back with all I've got, and send you to Alcatraz or even better, Hell?"

"Well, sure. But after a while, the depression will seep into your mind," The purple haze was growing now, seeping out of his eyes and onto the floor, snaking around like a serpent, "Her death will be all you can think of. How much you miss her, how much you want to hold her in your arms. And the facts will eat you alive, that _you couldn't save her_. Once the guilt takes over your mind, the rest of your body will succumb to the sedated feeling. The first time it happens, you'll skip out on your nightly patrols. The second time, the old butler will just leave you in your lonely bed, the one without her in it," Joker stood, watching Bruce's face melt into a pained expression.

"Within a month, I'm sure that your little sidekicks will be the only ones the criminals see in Gotham, and you'll be sitting home, all by your lonesome." The purple mist had turned to thick smoke, curling up into his nostrils as Bruce coughed and waved it away. He stumbled backwards, crashing into the stark white walls, his head swirling with nightmares and faint song lyrics.

_Am I blue_?

_Am I blue_?

"Shut up," Bruce groaned, choking back on the mauve clouds.

"Doesn't sound too fun, does it now, Bat?" Joker grinned widely, motioning for Ace, "I think our playboy has had enough fun, Acey. Take him out of here." In a sudden flash, his airway was clean and his lungs weren't burning from Ivy's unique poisonous gas. His blue eyes snapped open, finding himself back inside the courtroom, his enemy just a few feet beyond him.

"This is no time to be daydreaming of what you could have done different, Mr. Wayne," Joker grinned, the same purple flashing his eyes. "I'll ask you again nicely, any last words?"

_Ain't these tears in these eyes telling you  
How can you ask me am I blue_?

"Go to Hell."

"My, my. With your girlfriend present? Are you sure you don't want to say anything to her?" Bruce opened his mouth to speak as the sound of a pistol cocking resonated around the courtroom. Joker spun on his heel, his smile finally reaching his eyes as he faced the barrel of Lois's .357 Magnum.

"Drop it, clown," She hissed, her fingers trembling slightly as she gripped tighter, "I _said_ drop it!"

"Well, Mr. Wayne, I believe someone else has taken your spotlight," Joker shook his head, "You know what I said about interruptions in my courtroom, didn't you, Miss Lane?" The pistol wavered slightly. "That's what I thought. Now, be a nice little broad and put the big boy toy away." A bullet whizzed past his ear, shards of wood spitting out from a hole in the door. "Hey! Whoo! You're certainly a _jumpy_ little bugger aren't you?" He cackled, slapping his knees, before sobering and turning his own gun on her, "I told you. No movement, no talking, and most certainly _no threatening the life_ of the guy in charge," He twirled the pistol once in around his ring finger, "But, I guess you'll have to learn how serious I am." Bruce moved forward and caught the tip of Joker's robe before a shot rang out, along with a small, piercing scream and an even smaller thud. The crowd of clown masks: the jury and the audience shook with fear, shudders wracking their bodies.

_Superman is going to kill you_, Batman muttered as Joker blew off the tip of his barrel.

"Lois!" Another voice cried out from behind Bruce. His head whipped, watching as the Joker gleamed, his eyes flashing an even deeper purple than before.

"No!" Bruce roared, rushing over to where Diana was halfway out of her chair, shaking at the sight of her friend, lying motionlessly on the floor. "Diana, get dow-" Another bullet whizzed by, sending wooden splinters all over the princess in disguise. The masked prisoners suddenly leaped up from their seats, wailing and shrieking as they fumbled their way through the door. S.W.A.T. members were pushed backwards as more civilians rushed out of the double doors. Joker fell to the carpeted ground, laughing hysterically.

"They resemble a herd of cattle, running from the cattle prod, don't they?" Bruce could hear the Joker; he could smell the scent of gun residue in the air, lingering, like the purple smoke. What he could not do was allow Diana to be at fault for his mistakes.

_Just like Mom and Dad_, the Bat interjected as Bruce flung himself over another aisle of chairs, hearing the gun cock again.

"Bruce!" Diana shrieked as she tugged off the mask, bodies packed in like sardines around her. He received a flash of his princess, struggling against the crowd, before another rush of citizens blocked him. And now, she couldn't breathe, feeling the air being sucked out of her lungs as if in outer space, when there was no space at all.

"_Move_!" He snarled, shoving the crowd out of his way and finally he could see Diana. S.W.A.T. was filing in, finally, and edging closer to the maniac as the two bullets sprung. Both Joker and Bruce's breath hitched slightly. Joker collapsing face-forward onto the ground, a red stain making it's way from his skull to the carpet fibers and Bruce stumbling into Diana's arms as she gasped.

"Bruce, you've been hit!" She alerted the authorities in the room with her high, regal tone that was bordering on the edge of desperation, "Three people down! Get some EMTs in here pronto!" Finished with her orders, she slid the Dark Knight down to the floor beside her, holding him tightly. "Bruce, honey, wake up," She palmed his chin, watching heart-brokenly as he mumbled something and winced painfully.

"Hit me… through the shoulder… possibly… the other," He inhaled deeply, reframing from another wince as the flaming sting moved to his entire back.

"Bruce, you stay with me, all right?" She whispered, pulling him closer, her hand running softly down his cheek and jaw line.

"Okay," He breathed, "It's all right, Diana," Blue eyes met blue eyes, one blinking rapidly to push the tears away the other staring into space, "_It's all right_."

She swallowed the lump in her throat as the other pair of blue eyes faded from view, hidden behind a pair of eyelids. But the eyelids weren't as beautiful; they didn't capture her attention as much as those steely, ice blue irises did. She wanted the icy blue eyes back, no matter if they were narrowed in anger or widened in surprise.

He swallowed his heart, trying to push it back down to where it belonged, instead of housed inside his throat. The other pair of blue eyes faded from view, hidden behind the darkness of his eyelids. He struggled to crack open the shields. After all, they weren't as beautiful; they didn't capture his attention as much as those heartwarming, sea glass irises did. He wanted the ocean eyes back, no matter if they were narrowed in suspicion or leaking with tears caused by him. He want- wanted them… back, he realized, finding her warm hand and tucking it into his. Diana watched on, absent-mindly running her thumb along his lips. She couldn't do anything right now. Nothing.

And they had never gotten to finish their dance.

_In my dreams  
I'll always see you soar above the sky_

_In my heart  
There'll always be a place  
For you for all my life_

_Well you showed me how it feels  
To feel the sky within my reach  
And I always will remember all the strength you gave to me  
Your love made me make it through  
Oh, I owe so much to you…_

Damn, this took me forever! I apologize greatly. And I didn't really have time to re-read this, so if there's a minor mistake or two (or five), please accept another apology now for it.

Yes, I know Alcatraz is no longer in use, so even if Joker were sent there, nothing could be done with him.

I've wanted to visit Alcatraz for the longest time, simply because of the paranormal sightings there. I like ghosts and they thoroughly enjoy me chasing them. I think.

Songs: Am I Blue by Billie Holiday and There You'll Be by Faith Hill.

You know the drill.


	7. Convalescence

_Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding  
Fall into your sunlight  
The future's open wide beyond believing  
To know why hope dies  
Losing what was found, a world so hollow  
Suspended in a compromise  
The silence of this sound is soon to follow  
Somehow sundown…_

"Welcome, Wonder Woman," Alfred's voice met her as she slid the clock back into its place.

"Hello, Alfred," She nodded and hurried past the caretaker before ascending the stairs. No words, words only reminded her of the fresh Hades she had been through in the past few hours. For the first time in her life, she was in a situation that she couldn't control and she hated it. Her gaze was cast down upon her bare feet, tiptoeing softly upon the velvet carpeting that swallowed up the Bianco Carrara marble stairs.

"_What's wrong with velvet?" Bruce questioned her, smirking up at her as a royal hand gestured to the hundreds upon hundreds of pieces of lint that the rich carpet attracted._

"_Do you know how hard it is for Alfred to clean this? Hera, it must take him at least three hours just to clean half of them," Diana informed the man who was leaning against the elegant banister below her, "My mother absolutely despised velvet. Although it is luxurious, I can't see why you would want to cover up this gorgeous, natural marble. It seems like a scam to the eyes."_

"_Princess, you should know me well enough now to know that I am quite famous for my cover- ups."_

"_And not for your scams?" Her eyebrow rose precautiously, watching as the Dark Knight's smirk grew larger. _

"_So is there any other reason you're insulting my choice in décor and practically throwing yourself at Alfred in pity?" She gasped, floating down to meet her love at the base of the stairs._

"_Bruce, you insolent little bas-" Bruce chuckled at her expression, wrapping his arm around her waist and twirled her around, placing a fat kiss onto her red lips. _

"_Would you like to hang out with your new love interest in the kitchen or join me upstairs?" His lips nibbled at her ear lobe and she sighed in defeat, falling into his awaiting arms. _

"_I'll take option two, Mr. Wayne."_

Diana paused at the set of double doors; the satin chrome handles shining against the hallway's light.

_It's all right, Diana_. She pulled down slowly on the doorknobs, listening to the gears rotate and the spindle push the latch aside. The doors swung open with a soft whoosh and allowed the yellow glow from the hallway to scatter across the hardwood floor. Her feet made a light slapping noise as she crossed the room, pushing the door back quietly with her heel. The wide, open bed appeared in her line of vision, resembling the ominous feeling that had been beating inside her heart. The royal blue suede comforter was folded to one side, cast away as if kicked off. Diana knew that Alfred was itching to fix it, to make everything perfect again inside the room, but even the old Englishman knew it was impossible. Settling herself on the mattress gently, she ran a hand over the bruises that peppered her arms and legs, the particularly painful one settled between her rib cage and hipbone. Lifting her shirt gently, her pale fingers splayed across the mauve-colored defect on her otherwise flawless skin.

"_Princess, you should get that checked out with J'onn," Batman advised his teammate as they returned from defeating Giganta in an attempt to steal an intoxicating crystal- literally. As soon as Flash had touched it, he became woozy and was out like a light. _

"_Why? So I can look like Koalemos and he can kindly remind me that they'll be gone within another hour?" She glanced at the Bat in suspicion, wondering if he was suddenly questioning her strength. What was a couple of bruises and bloody scratches going to do? Ruin her sheets at the most, she reasoned and he glared. _

"_Fine. Then why don't you come down to the manor?" She quirked an eyebrow at his sudden invitation and he almost rolled his eyes, "I could assess the damage down there. That way you won't even be remotely considered the Greek god of foolishness and you can entertain Alfred," He must have noticed the still wary gaze she was giving him so he finished with, "I hear he's making his famous lemon ricotta cheesecake…." _

"_Offer accepted," Her small hand gripped his armored shoulder tightly as she spun to kiss his rough cheek, she was met with a pair of lips. "What was that for?"_

"_Sealing the deal, Princess."_

The Egyptian cotton sheets formed a cocoon around her body as she slid underneath the blankets. Warmth met her after a few minutes and until then, the stinging cold of the unused covers reminded her of the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. It's just a bodily function, she reasoned logically and pathetically. Amazons did not cry, especially at petty situations as this. But Bruce _deserved_ the tears. For him to just lie there in her arms, for her to feel his heart thump erratically, skip, and collapse was certainly something to cry over, right?

"Right," Her voice croaked into the darkness of their bedroom. Feeling the dam she had built around her emotions breaking, she uttered a quick prayer to Penthos for a quick and painless mourning. The sobs wracked her body, her arms tightening and curling around her chest. She furiously wiped away the tears and found the motion was futile, for they were soon replaced with new ones. Overwhelmed with the feelings of helplessness and remorse, Diana coiled up into herself, head to knees, and used her fingers as a gag to hush the cries. Crying meant it was real, meant that everything that had happened was real. If she kept still and solid, it was as if nothing had gone on in that courtroom.

_Hera, I'm turning into Bruce_, she realized miserably. Cold fingers wrapped around at her throat, trying to clear her airway from the bile that had rose. Finally, she released her neck, allowing air to seep through and her body sluggishly collapsed into the mattress yet again.

"Why are you crying?" Diana rolled over to meet the pondering face of her boyfriend.

"You're an asshole."

"Now, that's not very nice. I just went through getting shot, going through surgery, and all I receive in return is being woken up in the middle of the night?" He gave her a half-smile before turning serious and pulling Diana closer.

"Don't you dare act like you don't know why I'm crying, Bruce Anthony Way-"

"All right. I'll act like I do know and this conversation can be over." He earned a light smack to his chest and winced slightly. "What part of 'going through surgery' do you not comprehend, woman?" Bruce chuckled as she snuggled deeper into his arms, all the while her frown intensified.

"What happened with the Joker and you, in the courtroom?" Her voice reflected the worrisome expression settled on her face. Out of habit, Bruce ran a hand through his black hair before resting it around her waist.

"As I explained to Clark before when he was bandaging up Lois, Ace was the mastermind behind the time-switching, with Joker pulling all the strings. Luthor assisted him with finding Ace and hacking into our mainframe and communicators, but that's about as far as Luthor was needed in the plan. The rest was Joker."

"Did he say anything, about the reason behind all of this, before the police shot him?" Her hand was running up and down the length of his side, pausing aimlessly to rest on his arm.

"For the most part, he wanted to slow Batman down, and he found that the only way to do it was brute force. That was why he tried to kill you a second time. The Batman could stand one death, but could he stand gaining a bit of hope, only to have his world come crashing down upon him again?" Diana felt a shiver creep up her spine at his words. "Joker had never wanted _me_ dead, specifically, only dead inside. To drive me to the point of insanity and break me."

"He wanted you to become him." Bruce simply nodded, bringing her hand up to kiss the smooth skin and place it on his chest. Smiling at his motion, she leaned up to kiss his lips tenderly and then cuddling up against his strong frame, the taste of his mouth lingering on hers.

"You're not wearing the earrings," He nibbled at her ear lobe and spread butterfly kisses down her the nape of her neck. She scowled playfully, turning her head to allow him more space to roam, her tears drying up in the corners of her eyes. "You want new ones?"

"Not especially. I'm not into fancy objects like most women, you know that," He shrugged, letting her know it didn't phase him, "Get some sleep, Bruce. For me." His lips met with hers for the last time before he succumbed to the comfort of his pillow and her body against his.

_Who I am from the start  
Take me home to my heart  
Let me go  
And I will run  
I will not be silenced_

_There's a light  
There's the sun  
Taking all the shattered ones  
To the place we belong_

_Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding  
Fall into your sunlight_

**AN: Song was "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday. I hope I answered any questions you might have had, and yes, if you didn't catch it, Lois survived. Epilogue is up next and I believe you'll enjoy it. This is the first time I will beg for a review: review please! There. That's it. **

**You know the drill. **


	8. High Life

AN: Last chapter. Are you excited? Probably not, but I sure am. I'm finally sixteen, thank jeezums!

_You used to be the best  
To make life be life to me  
And I hope that you're still out there  
And you're like you used to be  
We'll have ourselves a time  
And we'll dance til the morning sun  
We'll be back in the high life again  
All the doors I closed one time will open up again  
We'll be back in the high life again  
All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in…_

Bruce adjusted his tie, dropped his hands into his pockets, and backed up to readjust the tie again.

"Sir?" Alfred called from the doorway, "Miss Diana has arrived."

"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce nodded to himself in the mirror, rolling his shoulders twice before heading down the staircase. Spotting her curled on the couch, he crept up behind her. A quiet, soothing tone flew into his ears, warming his core. Diana continued the music, flipping through a home improvement magazine. Noticing that a carpet example was circled, she decided to ask Bruce about it.

"Finally replacing that sordid velvet carpeting, honey?" She called out in a sweet voice. Bruce just smiled.

"What were you humming?"

"_Braveheart_ theme." His lack of response told her to explain herself, "The song from the movie Flash had me watch about a week ago. I do love bagpipes, since they were nonexistent on Themyscira. The tune must be stuck in my mind," She enlightened him and then paused, "So what is Alfred preparing tonight?"

He came around the sofa to take a seat, "It's a surprise, Princess." She blinked, her face sarcastically quizzical.

"Oh, really? Well, don't I feel special."

"As you should," He brought the back of her hand to his lips, thumb tracing around her knuckles. "So are you going to tell me why you're looking at paint samples?"

"Cabinet two-tier organizers, actually," She grinned, "I always have a hard time reaching the Lucky Charms. And yes, I will," Her eyes twinkled, "Eventually." Somehow, Bruce couldn't see the former Princess of Themyscira munching down on the marshmallow treat, but shrugged it off.

"Now you're keeping secrets from me?"

"Not secrets. Just information, Mr. Wayne." He felt himself shudder at the sound of his voice, coming from her lips.

_Then we're on the same boat_, he realized, stuffing one hand into his pocket and pulling her off the sofa.

"Care to dance?" Her eyes sparkled and one of those breath-taking smiles he loved so much spread across her face.

"Not at all."

_You used to be the best  
To make life be life to me  
And I hope that you're still out there  
And you're like you used to be  
We'll have ourselves a time  
And we'll dance til the morning sun  
And we'll let the good times come in  
And we won't stop til were done_

The white chiffon dress Diana wore grazed delicately against him, teasing like her dark hair that tickled against his chin. The golden sandals that adorned her feet glistened against the chandelier's aureate light.

"I love this song," Diana stated quietly as the couple twirled along the ballroom's marble tiles. He inhaled the aroma that was his princess. A dash of jasmine, sandalwood, and a spritz of honeydew. If she ever chose to create a fragrance, she would be swimming in Benjamin's. Luckily, Diana was the only woman who had captured his heart that wasn't obsessed with the fancy, expensive things in life.

Truly, she was the only woman who _had_ captured his heart.

"We'll be back in the high life again…" She shuddered with warmth at his voice, rumbling deep out of his chest. Their reflections danced along the large glass windows. The chandelier's light poured out onto the lawn and caught the garden's fountain. The water poured out of the angel's pot, an airy mist rising from around the dew-covered petals of Sarah Wayne's roses.

"You want to know my secret?" Diana whispered as Bruce hummed and pulled away slightly, grinning.

"Hit me."

"It isn't that spectacular, really. I've just been thinking of re-modeling my apartment. The colors I first picked out are too drab now. I believe it's time for a change, don't you?" Her eyes caught his, searching for a reaction within him.

"Sounds like a plan. And a very good investment," He added.

"Exactly." On a whim, Bruce led her out to the terrace overlooking the extensive rows and collections of flowers. As she commented on a bunch of azure hydrangeas that were in bloom, Bruce fingered the satin box in his pocket- knowing how she despised velvet.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable with your apartment, Princess."

"Why?" He ignored the question, taking a deep breath.

"Can I tell you my secret now?" The puzzled expression on her face causing his heart to swell. _It's now or never_.

"What secret?" He smiled, pulling the box out of its hiding place. Knee bent down to the tiles of the terrace, he cracked open the case that held his mother's engagement ring. The platinum shone against Diana's wide eyes as she blinked slowly and felt the urge to pinch herself, to prove this wasn't a dream. "I think I figured it out," She chuckled, her voice thick with emotion.

"Diana," He swallowed the butterflies, "You know everything about me. You have from day one. And while that scares me a little bit, it's the one of the many things that I love about you. Before, I wasn't used to anybody enjoying being around me. People stayed out of my way and that's the way I liked it. Then you came and… and I- I found myself _wanting_ to be near you. Suddenly, there was a light in my life I hadn't seen for almost thirty years. I was so used to the darkness, it took me a while to see through it and see that you weren't temporary. You were permanent," He paused to take a deep breath, "You _are_ permanent. And I want you to continue to be that way, Diana. Will you marry me?" She collapsed in front of him, pulling him into her arms and crying against his shoulder.

"Oh, Bruce. Yes, yes, yes. _Yes_!" She giggled, crashing her lips against his with fervor. He slid her ring onto the finger no other man had ever claimed and no other one will. Together they stood and watched the crescent moon rise. Suddenly, the previous song erupted out of the speakers hidden along the terrace. Bruce drew Diana back into his arms and spun her around.

And they finally finished their dance.

_We'll be back in the high life again  
All the doors I closed one time will open up again  
We'll be back in the high life again  
All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in  
And we'll drink and dance with one hand free  
And have the world so easily  
And oh we'll be a sight to see  
Back in the high life again_

**AN: Ta da! I don't really have anything else to say but: …. Nope. I got nothing. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Song: Back In the High Life Again by Stevie Winwood, who was actually mentioned in the first chapter, in case you didn't notice.**

**:)**


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